Corner brace for tubular derrick girts



sew. 27, 1927. 7

c. J. G'OUGL ER CORNER BRACE FOR TUBULAR DERRICK GIRTS Filed Nov. 25, 1925 Patented Sept. 27, 1927.

entree STATES 1,643,882 PATENT OFFICE.

CLYDE J. GOUGLER, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

Conner. BRACE res TUBULAR DERRICK-GIRTS."

Application filed November 25, 1325, Serial No. 71,351.

The present invention relates to 'b'aces adapted particularly for use in the corners of girts or reinforcing frames for towers of oil well derricks and the like.

An object of the present invention is t provide a tubular form of corner brace adapt-.

cl for use with tubular girts to cooperate therewith in seating the corner'brace in position and for attaching the brace rigidly to the tubular frame construction 'of the girt.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cross brace which is constructed of a tubular member made in one piece with provision at its end for anchoring aclamp or the like in position and from slipping from the cross brace, and also to hold the ends of the cross brace from shifting either upwardly or downwardly on the girt;

The invention also provides a novel form of clamp for use in connection with the tubular gin and brace to compensate for expansion and contraction incident to temperature changes and for automatically holding the nuts of the clamp from loosening incident to vibration of the frame when in use.

These, andvarious other objects and advantages of this invention will be in partset forth in, and in part understood from, the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein like parts are designated by similar numerals of reference throughout the several views, and wherein,

Fig. 1 is a horizontal section through a tubular derrick tower showing a girt provided with braces constructed according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged one corner of the same.

Fig. 3 is a further enlarged transverse section taken through the girtand brace on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4- is an outer side elevation of the same, and

Fig. 5 is a transverse section-taken through the brace on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing the girt comprises four tubular side pieces arranged in a rectangular frame with flattened ends 11 secured by bolts 12 to ears 13 projecting from split sleeves 14 which surround the legs or standards 15 at the corners of the tower. These le s 15 are tubular and the sleeves 14.- are clamped thereto by clamping screws 16.

The brace 17 comprises a tubular bar of fragmentary view of sufficient length to engage in a corner of the girtbetween adjacent side pieces 10. At each end the tubular member 17 is collapsed and bent outwardly to provide a bearing lip 18,'the same being of doublethickness as shown in Fig. 3 and being transversely curved providing a concave face 18 tocon; form to the inner side of the adjacent tube 10 and a convex face 18 for a purpose to be subsequently set forth. The bearing lip 18 is adapted to engage against the side of the tube 10 in surface contact therewith substantially throughout the width of the lip 18 so that the opposite edge portions of the lip serve as shoulders or flanges to hold the lip from sliding either upwardly or downwardly with respect to the tube 10.

The extremity of the lip 10 is bent abruptly inward to provide a shoulder or projection 19 forming with the convex face 18 of the lip 18 seat adapted to receive therein the closed end of a U-shaped clamp 20 of suitable size to straddle both the lip 18 and the adjacent portion of the tubular side member 10. The outer ends of the clamp 20 are threaded to receive binding nuts 21, and a cross bar or strap 22 is engaged across the outer side of the tubular member 10 and is aperturedto slidably engage the ends of the clamping bolt 20. The intermediate portion of the strap 22 may be bowed outwardly as shown in Fig. 3 to conform to the curvature of the outer side of the tube 10. The opposite ends of the strap 22 are apertured and overturned in spaced .relation to the outer side of the strap 22 for engagement over the ends of the clamping bolt 20 to provide resilient bearing portions 23 for the nuts 21 to not only yieldingly bind against the nuts when tightened and hold them from turning, but to also yield and compensate for expansion and contraction of the clamping bolt 20 and the parts bound therein.

This corner brace may be made in one piece from tubular stock material and the tubular form thereof is utilized in strengthening the brace 17 as well as in the construction of the lips at opposite ends of the brace to provide the double wall structure thereof. A strong substantial brace is provided which may be easily and quickly made and which may be easily applied to the gut.

It is of course understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described brace without departing from the spirit of this invention, and being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

Vhat is claimed is:

1. A brace for tubular girts comprising a tubular cross piece having its opposite end portions collapsed concavo-convex in cross section and bent outwardly in vdiverging angular relation from the main body of the cross piece so that the concave faces of said ends will seatagainst the inner sides of the tubular girt in the corner thereof, and clamping means engaging the convex faces of said bent end portions of the brace and the sides ofqthe girt.

2. A brace for tubular girts comprising a tubular cross piece having its opposite end portions collapsed concavo-convex in cross sect-ion and bent outwardly in diverging angular relation from the main body of the cross piece to provide lips adapted to seat against the inner rounded sides of a tubular girt and having the extremities of the said end portions bent inwardly from the lips to provide shoulders, and clamps engaging the convex faces of said end portions, about said lips, behind the shoulders and about the sides of the girtvto bind the lips thereto and hold the cross piece in the cornerof the girt.

CLYDE J. GOUGLER. 

